David Gerken Sells 1,000 Shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO) Stock

Key Points

• Insider sale: EVP David Gerken sold 1,000 Farmers & Merchants Bancorp shares for $33,720, reducing his stake by 13.32% to 6,509 shares.
• Strong quarterly results: The company reported adjusted earnings of $0.86 per share, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.67, while revenue reached $34.35 million versus the $33.05 million estimate.
• Positive outlook and dividend: Analysts’ consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” with an average price target of $32.25. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.23, equivalent to a 2.7% annual yield.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:FMAO - Get Free Report) EVP David Gerken sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.72, for a total value of $33,720.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,509 shares in the company, valued at approximately $219,483.48. This trade represents a 13.32% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Price Performance

NASDAQ:FMAO traded up $0.12 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $34.28. 94,891 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 65,494. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $30.15 and a 200 day moving average price of $27.86. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. has a 1-year low of $22.77 and a 1-year high of $35.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $472.04 million, a PE ratio of 11.78 and a beta of 0.80.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ:FMAO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The financial services provider reported $0.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.19. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp had a net margin of 20.27% and a return on equity of 10.72%. The firm had revenue of $34.35 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $33.05 million. Research analysts expect that Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Inc. will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 10th were given a $0.23 dividend. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 10th. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp's dividend payout ratio is 31.62%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its position in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 72.2% during the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 813 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 341 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 124.6% in the fourth quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,159 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 643 shares in the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co acquired a new stake in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 36.0% in the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,924 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 509 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its position in Farmers & Merchants Bancorp by 948.7% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,436 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $112,000 after buying an additional 4,013 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 23.96% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Zacks Research upgraded Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Piper Sandler reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $36.00 target price (up from $32.00) on shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Hovde Group cut their target price on shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp from $30.00 to $28.50 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $32.25.

About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp NASDAQ: FMAO is the bank holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, a community-focused institution headquartered in Los Banos, California. The bank traces its roots to 1916 and has grown to serve individuals, businesses and agricultural enterprises throughout the western San Joaquin Valley. Operating with a commitment to local decision-making, the company emphasizes personalized service and close ties to the communities in which it operates.

Through its banking subsidiary, Farmers & Merchants offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, online and mobile banking platforms, and merchant services.

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